A year or two ago, no one in Britain had heard of HTC. Yesterday three people asked me if I knew where they could get a good deal on a Desire. Things have really changed. Android phone sales now surpass those of iPhones and with Android set to run on Google TVs, things are set to change even more.
When Orville and Wilbur Wright first mastered powered flight, the whole world was thrilled by their achievement, but nobody today would dream of climbing aboard the Kitty Hawk for their flight to that next conference.
There is a big difference between being the first and being the best, and so it is with smartphones.
Its unlikely that you were caught up in the pant-wetting hysteria the first iPhone generated back in 2007 but it is likely that the device raised an impressed eyebrow, it was something new after all. But,just like the Wright Brother’s wonderful flying machine, the iPhone’s only real claim to fame lies in its being the first.
It has taken three years for the market to catch up, Apple are not known for sharing their ideas, but right now there are over 60 Android powered devices available to consumers and several phones that outrank the iPhone 4 on all fronts; not to mention the dozens more in pipelines across the world.
HTC’s profile has shot through the roof since it shifted its attention from Windows Mobile to Android last year, and Motorola, who were going through shaky times, now lead the way with their latest handsets.
Next time you’re on a 757 at 35,000 feet ask yourself if you wouldn’t rather be on a 100 year old bi-planed box kite… and then order another rum and coke.